Notice all the 98-mm waists on your ski shop’s wall? It’s a category Völkl virtually defined, and the Mantra remains a benchmark, especially prized by strong experts who love its blend of power and versatility. Other skis are more playful, more forgiving of lazy or unskilled technique. And by today’s standards, the Mantra doesn’t really do the flotation thing. But for chargers who like to stand on a solid edge and bend it, it still satisfies. Hogen: “Realized I was out of breath at the bottom of the run. She makes you work, but it’s worth it.”